NFL Not Necessarily Truths

Mr. Whitlock has an eye for the truth and his writing is succinct and insightful. After reading his work I almost always find myself nodding my head and saying “Yup, that’s right on.” But saying a QB in his 2nd full season, is headlined as the reputation of a “choke artist”? That’s a little really premature, hardly a “truth”.

When looking at this team and this game, I see a quarterback who was looking at: A100-catch TE slowed by a broken rib and an ankle injury, a starting WR with plantar fasciitis, a star RB out with an injury, the #2 RB on injured reserve, a starting left guard with a sprained ankle – and let’s not forget a high-strung starting WR about to melt.

All of this is on the QB’s shoulder’s before he looks past the line of scrimmage. What he sees on the other side? The #1 defense in the league in every major category.

Injuries across the offense and top ranked defense – and it’s 24 degrees and windy.

Tony was 19 of 36 for 210 with a TD. Ben was 17 of 33 for 204 with a TD. They were identical save for one difference: Ben took the sack (5 total) while Tony attempted to put the team on his back and make it happen.

He tried to do too much when he should have taken the sack – that’s true. But – in the 4th quarter – the Cowboys defense completely folded up. And – in the 4th quarter – the Cowboys special teams let the Steelers bring a return back to the Cowboys 25 yard line setting up a Steeler FG.
I put this loss at 40% Tony, 30% defense, 30% special teams.

I understand you put most of this on T.O. And, I’m not saying that Tony doesn’t have too many INT/FUM. But to analyze his first December, when he wasn’t even the starter at the beginning of the year – well many/most QB’s struggle their first few games (even their first few years). Last year the Cowboys were 13-3 and the last game of the season was a throw-away while they rested their players. So in your December analysis we’re looking at (1) his first year and (2) a year he led the team to 13 wins. And that’s enough for people to convict him? Oh, and 1 sub-freezing coming off a broken pinky, with no running game, with a defensive and special teams collapse – and we’re talking “he sucks”? I don’t think so. I’d bet there are about 25 teams out there who would kick their QB to the curb in about a nano-second to have Tony Romo for the next 8 years.

And as far as your reference to the famous “field goal snap”… that game was lost by Terry Glenn, who fumbled on the 1 yard line, giving their opponent a safety. Barring that, there is no field goal attempt. In addition, the ball was about 4 inches short of a first down. If that candy-ass, sack-less kicker had just gotten in the defender’s path just a little bit, it’s a Cowboys 1st down.

Tony Romo is in his 2nd full season and you’re calling him a choke artist? Peyton entered the league in 1998 and got a ring in…2006. For all the millenia that the almighty Favre made amazing passes and record-setting interceptions, he’s only got 1 ring…but he seems to be doin’ OK and I don’t hear him called out as a choke-artist.

Tony Romo has played 2 seasons. Let’s calm down just a little bit.

They’ve got injuries to skill players on offense and their safeties and cornerbacks are dropping like flies. They’re probably going to miss the playoffs and if they do make it, it’s likely one and done.